UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS

Five Must-Visit Shops in the Garment District (and Why)

There are thousands of apparel, accessory, textile and trimming companies located in this Midtown neighborhood, within walking distance of our campus. It would be all too easy to spend hours—or, let’s be honest, days—browsing both the iconic shops and the hidden treasures.

If you go, here are five shops you can’t miss.

1. Mood Fabrics.While "Project Runway" introduced it to the world, Mood has been a destination in the fabric world for decades. Its three stories (40,000 square-feet) are filled with gorgeous fabrics. Mood also features a sewing school that offers classes for novice and advanced sewers alike.

2. Shindo. Shindo features ribbons galore, including a huge selection of satin, knit, jacquard, reflective, and stretch varieties. There’s also braid, piping, and micro-suede items, plus trimming made from distinctive lace. They also focus on environmentally friendly products, which we love.

3. M&J Trimming. A landmark trimming store, M&J Trimming has it all. You’ll find ribbons, buttons, trims, crystals rhinestones, and so much more among the hundred-thousand styles in the shop’s inventory. Browse a dazzling array of products from around the world—but remember that shopping here is a marathon, not a sprint. You could seriously spend a full day exploring this place and not even get through half of it.

4. Spandex House, Inc.It’s a legend in the Garment District—everything stretches! Not convinced it’s worth the trip? They have designs of every kind imaginable (Spandex fabric in ice cream cone print, anyone?), and they maintain the largest selection of Spandex and Lycra® in the world.

5. Astro Gallery of Gems. With a client list that includes names like Salvador Dali, John Lennon, and Goldie Hawn, Astro Gallery is one of the most established and respected gem and mineral galleries in the world. The store has a 10,000-foot showroom featuring everything from tumbled stones to stunning, 2,000-pound Amethyst geodes—plus fossils, gold and silver jewelry, corals, and meteorites. It’s a treat just to walk through this place--it's like walking through a kaleidoscope.

Sound like a place you'd want to spend some time? LIM might be the place for you.